Exploring the DMZ (2 January) – Part One

Our early night in has helped us recover sufficiently that we’re able to leave Hong Guesthouse with enough time to have breakfast at Paris Baguette before meeting Adventure Korea outside of Hongdae Station.  A typical waegook moment (ie. Not understanding simple instructions) results in my popping a container of maple syrup all over myself and the counter and seat behind me rather than on my breakfast waffle.  Being covered in syrup that has successfully managed to find it’s way up your jack sleeve and all around your watch among other places is not a pleasant way to start a day. 

Unexpected Reunions

Before we know it, it’s time to make our way to Hongik station to meet the AK bus.  We’ve just rounded the corner and are wondering who will be staffing this trip when we see Seokjin (the owner of the company).  We can’t conceal our enthusiasm as we happily greet Seokjin with much cheer and Cheshire Cat grins and start chatting while we wait.  When the AK bus arrives, Patricia tells us that they’ve kept seats for us: Catfish and I are confused as to who ‘they’ is and are just about to ask when KiwiKat gets off the bus and we’re once again joyously greeting someone like a long-lost relative.  Clearly, the day is going far better than it started and we’re all ready for the day’s adventures at the DMZ (the DeMilitarized Zone between North and South Korea). 

Despite the warning that we can’t wait for anyone, we end up leaving nearly 45 minutes later than scheduled as we wait for two more people who are “on their way”.  Finally, we’re off and KiwiKat attempts to show me on a map of Korea where, exactly, the DMZ is.  Seokjin also announces that there will be a slight change to the order of today’s trip since he’s just been notified that there will be military drills taking place in one of the areas we’re scheduled to visit.  As a result, we need to be out of this area by 13:30. 

On the bus, ByungMin (who, along with Patricia and KiwiKat, will be helping to run today’s trip) collects our passports and ARCs (Alien Registration Cards) which need to be presented at the entrance to the DMZ.  In true Korean style, we first need to pass a ‘test’ before we’re granted permission to enter the DMZ.  This involves a member of the Korean military at the DMZ boarding our bus and inspecting our passports or ARCs presumably to check that no one poses any threat to the area.  It’s a bit like passing through border control in the US as a foreigner except that, as Seokjin tells us, we greet the soldier with our friendliest and happiest smiles unlike the US where we’re expected to remain very serious making us look even more like potential criminals.

Fortunately, we all clear the security check and we’re soon passing through the heavily guarded gates and onto the bridge where no photos are permitted.   It’s somewhat ironic that the DMZ is meant to be DeMilitarized and yet, is one of the most heavily guarded areas with serious trust issues on both sides of the border.  We head straight for the unification village and the site of the third infiltration tunnel which we were only supposed to visit this afternoon.  Apparently this is the area that will be closed from 13:30 today due to military drills – again, a strong sense of irony can be felt considering there shouldn’t be any military in the DMZ!

The DeMilitarized Zone

The DMZ is an area of approximately two kilometres on each side of the border between North and South Korea.  This line covers not only landmass but water territory too.  Yeongpyeong Island, which was bombed by North Korea in November 2010, is the latest example of constant disagreement between the two Koreas and it’s interesting to note that this particular island lies closer to North Korea than South.  As someone explained to me, the disagreement in this instance has more to do with controlling fruitful fishing waters than anything else.  It should be noted, however, that a lot of what I will mention is predominantly pro-South Korea. Obviously, living in South Korea, I don’t particularly want this country to be attacked by anyone but, just as South Korea has genuine fears of a North Korean attack, North Korea and it’s supporters have just as legitimate a fear of an attack from the South.  It’s a seemingly no-win situation.

Panmunjeom

At Panmunjeom, the first stop of our trip, we watch an interesting documentary about the DMZ and the tunnels in particular before exploring the small museum that shows the history of Panmunjeom which is simultaneously fascinating and bloody.  Panmunjeom is often referred to as the ‘Truce Village’ and is part of the Joint Security Area where, in certain areas, North and South Korean military personnel literally stand opposite each other guarding their respective sides of the border within small conference rooms.  It’s interesting that such an awkward truce can exist in such small spaces and yet there is still so much mistrust between the two sides.  The museum shows a colourful and disturbing history of bloody skirmishes that reinforce just how much mistrust actually exists. 

Here, we learn about the Bridge of No Return and various incidents that occurred in the JSA.  Perhaps one of the best known incidents is the “Axe Murder Incident” of 1976.  In short, two American UN soldiers were murdered by North Koreans soldiers when they followed orders to prune a tree in the JSA that was obscuring visibility of the border.  Catfish provides a far more thorough account than I of these incidents and history of the DMZ in her blog. 

Having hosted over 100 trips to the DMZ, Seokjin was keen to answer any questions we had regarding North and South Korea and the DMZ in general.  He also told Catfish and I a little of his own military experience.  All men in South Korea have a compulsory two year service in the military.  Their university studies are usually interrupted in order for them to complete this service which explains why many men here only graduate in their late twenties.  In addition, men who have not served military time are generally not seen in a very positive light.

Third Infiltration Tunnel

From the museum display, we move across the parking lot to the Third infiltration tunnel.  Discovered in October 1978, this particular tunnel would allow for 30 000 armed North Korean soldiers per hour to invade Seoul.  The tunnel is two metres in diameter, approximately two metres in height, 1 635 metres in length and averages around 73 metres below the surface.  The tunnel was discovered when an underwater gush revealed it’s presence.  At 52km from Seoul, it is considered more threatening than the first and second tunnel according to the explanations at the DMZ.  For security reasons, we’re not allowed to take photos of the tunnel because “North Koreans have access to Facebook too, you know!”

Since the November attack of YeongPyeong Island, the DMZ has apparently been quieter than usual.  This is very clear today in that we’re one of only two groups in Panmunjeom at the moment.  Seokjin tells us he’s never seen the tunnel entrance so quiet and it’s a little eerie that we can see all the way to the bottom of tunnel without having to look over people.  On the way down to the tunnel, we pass several chairs are various rest stops and struggle to understand why the people walking back up are puffing and panting so much.  Standing at the bottom of the slope leading to the exit and contemplating the 45 degree angle that we now have to tackle in order to leave the tunnel, we suddenly understand the need for the chairs and the puffing and panting. 

Contemplating the seemingly insurmountable obstacle that currently stands between me and the world above ground, I can’t help but feel a grudging admiration for the sheer determination of North Korean soldiers who would’ve attempted the invasion of the South through these tunnels.  Firstly, they had to dig the tunnel – after the first two had been discovered.  Secondly, the tunnel is pretty low (and I’m about average Korean height) so moving through the tunnel quickly and quietly with weapons wouldn’t have been an easy task considering the lack of space and the fact that you’re doing the ajumma walk (ie hunched over) for most of the trip.  Thirdly, it’s a pretty long walk – and a very steep climb – through the tunnel.  The North Koreans may have had the advantage of surprise in the attack but they probably would’ve been exhausted coming out of that tunnel – or maybe that’s just foreigners since, as the Koreans love to tell us, we need to exercise more….

The tourist part of the tunnel is approximately 1 mile long. You all but roll down a sharp slope into the tunnel, dust yourself off, have a refreshing sip of fresh spring water, make your way (hunched over) through a long and narrow flat section to look at a wall with a look out point behind barbed-wire, say “Holy crap! I’m standing at the actual border between North and South – North Korea is just on the other side of this wall!”, briefly wonder if there are tourists on the North Korean side wondering the same thing and then turn around and head back the way you came.  Along the way, there are signs that ensure we don’t miss the vital evidence that this tunnel was dug by North Koreans and that it’s not, as North Korea has suggested, a South Korean attempt to frame the opposition. 

Dorasan Station: Not the Last Station From the South but the First Station to the North

Having successfully made it back out of the tunnel, we’re soon back on the bus and heading to Dorasan Station where, rumour has it we can even get a stamp in our passports.  Traffic is carefully controlled at the bridge that leads into the DMZ proper and we’re told not to take any photos of the bridge.  I wonder how much time North Korean soldiers and intelligent personnel spend on Facebook looking for the photos of foreigners who have ignored these security instructions and taken photos anyway?  

The first thing we see at the station is a donor board. Seokjin informs us that several thousand Koreans, including him, donated money to help build this station which is the only one with traffic going to North Korea.  Once a week, a train takes raw materials to a factory in Kaesong where they are made into various articles that are then brought back to the South.  He then takes us into the station which is, of course, deserted, and shows us a map of the Transcontinental Railroad of which Dorasan station is the starting point.  If North and South Korea were to unite, this railroad would open up countless travel opportunities to and from Korea instead of the current – and rather limiting – flight and boat options. 

We’re then shown the stamp that we can put into our passports.  It’s not a legitimate stamp and although we’re told to stamp it on the last page of our passports so that we can tear out the page if it’s a problem, this isn’t exactly a feasible option.  It’s interesting to hear KiwiKat tell us that some countries will not grant us tourist visas if they see this stamp simply because of clear proximity to North Korea – Japan is apparently one such country.  Sad not to have a stamp in my passport that shows I’ve been to the DMZ, we head through the doors to the platform and train tracks. 

We can’t help but laugh at the sight of the photo of George Bush signing something in an official photo at the site – with the black marker upside down! – while we take various goofy photos.

The amount of snow on the tracks is a clear indication of just how seldom this particular train actually runs but it’s an unique experience to be able to walk across train tracks with a clear conscience.  Safe in the knowledge that these tracks are not in use, KiwiKat tells Catfish and I to go and make a snow angel on the tracks because she wants a photo of someone lying on the tracks.  Catfish simply crosses the tracks to the platform on the other side but a part of me finds the idea appealing so I leave my bag on the platform and head for the centre track where I attempt to make a snow angel.  All around me, people are laughing at the idea of making a snow angel on the tracks and ByungMin seems to be watching with an incredulous “Are all foreigners really insane?” expression on his face.  A sudden image of Wild Wild West comes to mind and I lay back on the tracks as though I’m lying on a beach in Thailand.  This prompts several people to take out the photos for what can only be described as a unique photo! 

Train tracks forgotten, I head to the other platform to have a look around before crossing the tracks once more to where KiwiKat has claimed my bag.  She happily returns my bag to me – after robbing me blind right before my eyes.  It’s time to head back to the bus so Catfish and I decide to run ahead and try to find Seokjin’s name on the donor board outside.  Apparently our Korean isn’t anywhere near as good as we’d hoped: It took only a moment to find the ‘Park’ section but, by the time the rest of the group had exited the station, we were still no closer to finding ‘Seokjin’.  Finding this amusing, he glances at the section we’re currently studying intently, skims through the names and points to one and then laughs as we all take photos of his name on a board.

New Year Recovery (1 January)

After a long, cold and exhausting – but ultimately fun – evening that ended with us waiting for the subways to re-open at 5:30am, we quickly made our way to Yeongdeungpo station to head back to KiwiKat’s apartment to get some rest.  NZ2’s friend, now girlfriend, is leaving Korea this afternoon but we’re all exhausted.  Our enthusiasm has dimmed considerably in the cold weather as we gather for a photo to commemorate our first subway ride of 2011.  We manage to stay awake long enough to change lines and get onto the hour long train that will take us to Kiwikat’s apartment outside of Seoul. We’re barely on the train and we’ve all fallen asleep – just one more reminder that we’re apparently too old to still be attempting all night parties!

At KiwiKat’s apartment, we crowd in and quickly claim empty sleeping spots wherever we find them before promptly passing out once more.  A few hours later, we’re not quite recovered but we can function.  NZ2 and his girlfriend leave for Incheon International Airport and we drift in and out of sleep before finally waking up for the day.  By this time, it’s early afternoon and we should probably get moving so that we can get our bags from the lockers at Itaewon station, check into the guesthouse where we’ll be staying tonight and then head back to Itaewon to do some shopping at What the Book? and the clothing store that KiwiKat showed me the previous day. 

Partially Recovered

It’s a fairly easy trip back to Itaewon station were we’re surprised at just how affordable and apparently secure the storage lockers are.  We’re soon on our way to Hong Guesthouse in Hongdae which is only a short trip from Itaewon.  There, we quickly settle into our room and take much needed showers before heading out once more back to Itaewon.  Our first stop in Itaewon is the All-American Diner where they serve real hamburgers that will solve almost any craving foreigners have for decent Western food.  From there, we head to the bookstore and then the clothing store where I’m amazed to find jeans that fit me to perfectly without having to try on several dozen pairs.

Catfish seems to be continuing her newly acquired approach to shopping: Instead of dressing in sufficient layers each day, she wears layers that she thinks will keep her warm and then seems to buy additional layers in each clothing store she enters that day.  Today's purchase is a faux fur-lined hoodie.

Our shopping trip over, we return to the guesthouse for an early evening in preparation for tomorrow’s adventure: The DMZ.  Look out North Korea, we’ll be watching you!

PS. If you ever need a good guesthouse in Seoul that is affordable and a great place to stay, I can really recommend Hong Guesthouse.

Happy New Year (31 December)

It’s New Year’s Eve and hopes are high

     Kiss one year in, wave one goodbye…

Engaging With A Cute Doctor

Once again, my day starts with an acupuncture appointment with the cute doctor (last photo on the linked page).   I now know what to expect and where to go so I’m not really paying attention as I enter the Oriental Medicine section.  Out the corner of my eye, I see someone else approaching the department from the opposite direction but I’m busy sending a text message to the international coordinator to let her know that I’m at the right department so I’m somewhat surprised to realise that the person opposite me is in fact the cute doctor who is now greeting me.  He seems to have come in early just to fit me in this morning because I’d said that I’m leaving for Seoul this morning.

We’re soon going through the now familiar steps of the acupuncture procedure and I get the feeling that the cute doctor and the coordinator are talking about me.  I’ve understood a few random words to know that he’s asked what I do, where I work, where I’m from and the usual five questions I’m asked on a regular basis.  He occasionally throws in an English word or two for my benefit which I appreciate so, when he excuses himself to attend to another patient, I ask the coordinator how to say “Doctor” in Korean.  She tells me and, having asked his name the previous day, I practise saying “Thank you Dr Kim” in Korean. 

The final step of the procedure is a somewhat chiropractic manoeuvre that apparently is intended to re-align the spine or something similar.  Usually, the coordinator is with me each step of the way but, for some reason, she has excused herself from this final step and drawn the curtains around the cubicle in which I am now alone with the doctor.  When Dr Kim finishes this part of the treatment, he seems uncertain as to what to do next since he’s not comfortable speaking in English and, as far as he knows, I don’t speak or understand any Korean. 

I Don't Understand!

I’m determined to thank him in Korean because he’s the first Korean doctor who has actually treated me as a person and not a non-entity which I truly appreciate.  I hastily jump up, bow and say the line that I have so diligently been practising for past twenty minutes.  I’ve barely finished speaking when I hear several women laughing just outside of the cubicle. Dr Kim resembles a deer caught in headlights and I’m surprised to see him blushing furiously. He seems too shocked to say anything more coherent than “Oh” at first and seems to quickly think of something else. “Enjoy your party,” is all he manages before fleeing, leaving me more confused than ever. 

I hear voices outside amidst the laughter so I quickly grab my coat and bag and step outside to see what’s going on.  The coordinator seems to have rounded up all of the female staff in the Oriental Medicine Department because they’re all standing there talking and laughing at Dr Kim.  He’s in the middle of saying something to them when he sees me, blushes even more while re-enacting the deer-caught-in-headlights look and literally runs out of the room, across the hall and into his office where he quickly closes the door.  The only response from the women around me is to laugh even more and point out how much I’ve made him blush.  The head of the department, and Dr Kim’s immediate supervisor, asks me if I’m happy with the treatment I received: I’m very happy with the acupuncture but very confused as to what is currently happening.  Clearly, I’m missing a vital piece of information. 

While I talk to the head of department and a nurse, the coordinator goes across the hall to Dr Kim’s office and, while trying not to laugh too much, tells him something that I don’t understand.  I understand that I seem to have embarrassed the cute doctor but I don’t understand why so I step into the hall to wait for the coordinator.  Dr Kim’s eyes seem to widen further and further each time he sees me so the coordinator quickly takes my arm and ushers me out of the department as the laughter follows our departure down the hall.  When I ask her to explain what just happened, she simply laughs and tells me that I made him blush – I already know this; what I don’t know is why.  As she ushers me through the accounts section and to the front door, the only answer she seems willing to leave me with is: He’s worried about how much Korean you understand.  Instead of reassuring me, I leave the medical centre wondering what he could possibly have said that would make him blush so…..

Hello Again...

I head straight back to my apartment to meet Freddy so that we can meet Catfish at the bus terminal.  We’re soon on a bus and heading to Seoul where we’ll meet up with NZ2, his friend and KiwiKat in Itaewon.  The subway isn’t nearly as busy as it was the previous Friday but thanks to slow moving passengers, I’m the only one who manages to get onto the subway before the doors close – Catfish and Freddy simply wave goodbye from the platform and I mime getting off at the next stop which is Jamwon…and completely deserted.  We quickly communicate that I’ll get on the next train and either find each other on the train or at the station where we change lines. 

Out the corner of my eye, I glimpse a coat that seems familiar but my brain registers that it’s not who I’m looking for so I don’t pay closer attention. As I look up and down the carriage for my friends, I hear an incredulous voice say, “I don’t believe it!” and I look up to find myself looking at the man Catfish found herself inadvertently nestling against on the overcrowded train on Christmas Eve.  He then asks me where my friend is and I quickly text Catfish who thinks I’m making a joke about the subway being too busy.  Little does she know that I’m actually standing next to Mr Pillow man which is precisely what I clarify when we finally find each other at the station where we change lines.

From there, it’s a smooth trip to Itaewon where we stash our belongings in a locker at Itaewon station (a very convenient and cost-effective overnight storage option!) before heading to What the Book? to meet the Kiwis and co. Along the way, we encounter high school students who need to interview English speakers as part of a winter camp project so we happily volunteer our services. After a quick look around What the Book? where we purchase two incredibly funny Korean books that read like bad romance novels (Making Out in Korean and Dirty Korean), KiwiKat shows me the ‘Plus Size’ store in Itaewon where she buys all of her clothes and introduces me to the woman who runs the store.  When I hear that the store will be open the next day, I tell her that I’ll be back then since we’re going straight to the party and we’re once again on our way so that Freddy can have a haircut, I can look for new gloves, and we can all do general errands that are just so much easier in Itaewon. 

Countdown Seoul

With our errands complete, we head to Yeongdeungpo where the concert is being held in Seoul’s Times Square (Kyungbang) which is basically a large shopping centre.  We discover that we need our reference numbers (which were emailed at time of booking) in order to collect the tickets.  KiwiKat has the reference numbers for the three tickets that she booked but Catfish hasn’t written down the numbers for our tickets.  The solution: We head to Starbucks where people are working on personal laptops and she approaches a Korean man and asks if she may borrow his computer for a few minutes to write down the reference numbers.  Fortunately, he agrees and we’re soon heading back to the ticket counter where we discover that we will not be able to collect our tickets for another hour.  Not to be deterred by this, we decide that a proper dinner is in order and head back towards the subway and on to TGI Friday’s for some western food. Unfortunately, too many people seem to have decided on this and we’re not able to wait an hour for a table which is how we ended up eating KFC for dinner on the last night of the year…

Our hunger semi-sated, we stop by a local bookstore to look for cardboard and markers to make Free Hugs and Kisses signs.  We leave with no cardboard but a new confusion about the "Elglish" language section as we once again head back to Times Square to collect our tickets.  Catfish and KiwiKat get into the queue while the rest of us fool around and tell them to hurry up since we’re cold.  I surreptitiously attempt to take a photo of a cute Korean guy standing in the queue (much to the amusement of my friends) but, after several failed attempts, I give up. Tickets in hand, we head inside and find a spot to take over while we orientate ourselves with the layout of the venue and the schedule then we get ready to party Korean style…

…or maybe not!  We head upstairs to the club room since the performances downstairs will only start at 22:00.  Upstairs, we’re treated to the sight of a handful of people standing in the centre of the dance floor bopping only their heads to the music, and most people sitting on the chairs along the wall.  If this is Korean style partying, we’re bound to be disappointed.  We commandeer a table in the centre of the room and proceed to pile all of our jackets and bags on top before getting our first drinks.  It doesn’t take long for Catfish to meet a cute guy…much to the disgust of his girlfriend who seems to be watching Catfish very carefully.  Each time we encounter Alex and his girlfriend that evening, she is quick to move him along and discourages any conversation.

Will You Kiss a Fish?

 

The DJs who start off the evening’s entertainment aren’t too bad even though one resembles an elf in his beanie and looks like he’s not even legally old enough to drink never mind be the entertainment in a bar.  We seem to be the only foreigners in this section but that doesn’t discourage us from having a good time and soon, more people have joined us on the dance floor.  By 22:00, almost everyone has arrived and we move down to the first floor where the main groups are going to be performing.  Catfish and I end up somewhere in the middle of the crowd where before we know it we are preparing to count in the new year.  Catfish has been chatting randomly to some Korean girls next to us and so, with the knowledge that the new year is only minutes away, she turns to them and asks if there are any single men.  The entire group start laughing and pointing to one guy who is blushing furiously and slowly starts backing away and we’re soon counting down the last 10 seconds (in a combination of English and Korean) to midnight.

In America, Catfish tells us that the New Year’s tradition is to find someone – anyone it would seem – with whom to make out.  This is precisely what she’d been hoping to do but, unfortunately, ended up with only me with whom to welcome in 2011 while balloons and paper confetti fell from the ceiling.  When she tells KiwiKat this tradition, KiwiKat leads the way determined to find someone for Maggie to kiss.  They find random Korean guys and ask if they’ll do the honours: two of them happily agree and the second guy even agrees to having the kiss photographed when his friend enthusiastically takes out a camera prompting KiwiKat to follow with her camera – and issue instructions ensuring the moment is captured perfectly even if it requires more than one take.

By now, the excitement of the new year has worn off and I’ve realised that I’m simply too old to still be attempting an all-night party – plus the current DJ is truly awful making it even more difficult to stay awake! The only act that I still want to see is 2PM. A K-pop band that is fairly popular with older teens and young adults, 2PM is not really one of my favourite groups but I ‘m hoping that having seen them perform live might just improve my street cred with my students.  Staying awake until they perform, however, is a far greater challenge than I’d anticipated and one that I ultimately lost as I wake just in time in the corner in which I’ve curled up to sleep. 

2PM @ 2AM

There is a significant irony in the scheduled performance time for 2PM although it’s a stroke of genius from a marketing and management point of view.  2PM is half of the group that split up in order to form two new bands: 2PM and 2PM; together, they form A Day (I don’t actually know if that was the original group’s name but it makes sense!). 2AM is apparently slightly more popular but 2PM was actually pretty good.  It’s ironic, however, that 2PM performed at 2:00am for 20 minutes but a stroke of genius in that it was the one truly big name performances and after the subways had closed for the night which ensured people would stay at the countdown until 5:30am when the subways re-opened.

Of course, I don’t understand most of the lyrics in K-pop and I couldn’t see very much of 2PM considering I was standing near a human mountain but overall, their performance was good and their dancing energetic.  It was interesting to see that their dance routines are exactly the same as those of their music videos.  In addition, they would stop between each song and chat onstage which meant that they only sang a couple of songs. Catfish and KiwiKat were lucky enough to be standing very close to the stage where they could get fantastic photos and even decent videos of the performance.

With 2PM’s performance over, we all felt age taking it’s toll and decided to catch some shut-eye until 5:30am when we could finally leave in the bitter cold.  Dozing in and out of sleep, I was aware of various people standing near our group and can’t help but wonder how many embarrassing photos random Koreans probably took of us sleeping on one of the biggest party nights of the year….

Snowfall and Falling in the Snow (30 December)

Snowfall

I wake this morning to the sight of big, beautiful snowflakes outside.  The scene that greets me outside of my apartment building is one reminiscent of a winter wonderland and I can’t resist taking several photos as I head to the main road to attempt to find a taxi.  The first order of business for today is another acupuncture appointment and my friend has chosen to accompany me to the appointment this morning.

My acupuncture appointment passes quickly and we’re soon heading towards Lotte mart to try and find Jeonbuk Bank which is where NZ2 has said I’ll be able to pay my accounts – and his.  There is an incredible amount of snow on the ground which means that we’re sliding more than walking.  It also means that there are fewer taxis available since no one wants to walk in this weather.  When we finally get to Lotte mart, we head in the direction that NZ2 has told me. 

Something about these directions isn’t quite making sense and we walk for a few blocks before I realise there are no more commercial buildings around us; conveniently, NZ2 isn’t answering his phone but Freddy is having a blast making a snow angel in the thick and lush snow while I try to figure out where to go.  We head back towards the main intersection where I saw a branch of my bank and I decide to play the foreigner card: I just want to pay my bills and be done with this errand!  There’s a convenient little machine just inside the bank that accepts all accounts; unfortunately, it’s all in Korean so I don’t know how to use it and rely on a bank employee to assist me.  She then tells me that NZ2’s main bill has to be paid at Jeonbuk Bank specifically which is across the road

Falling in the Snow

Crossing the road proves more adventurous than usual now that there are enormous piles of snow on the sides of the roads making it more difficult to determine where the pavement is.  While trying to cross the road as quickly as possible, I suppose it was inevitable that I would end up falling onto a huge pile of snow instead of just walking around it.  Fortunately, the oncoming driver was paying attention and stopped!

With accounts finally paid, we browse around Lotte mart before heading back to my apartment and then meeting Catfish for dinner at the Galbi restaurant.  Catfish and I love the Galbi restaurant that we frequent because the staff usually circle our table on a loop. It’s entertaining to watch how they almost seem to fight over who will get to help us cook our food – we only have to touch the tongs and someone is at our table, taking over the cooking process.  Tonight, with the addition of a male, it’s slightly different and it’s interesting to note the change in dynamics – the servers aren’t quite as attentive as usual….

Dinner is followed by coffee at Ediya Coffee, another tradition it would seem, where we discuss our plans for the next day and New Year’s Eve’s party.  We’ve already booked a room at Hong Guesthouse in Hongdae for 1 January so we just need to work out the logistics of what to do with our bags the next night since we have every intention of staying up all night at Countdown Seoul!

Jeonju Hanok Village (29 December)

NZ2 also has a friend visiting him from Japan so we’ve arranged to go to the traditional Korean village in Jeonju.  We’re on a bus by 11:00am so we arrive in Jeonju by midday.  Catfish told me that she simply asked a taxi driver to take her to the Hanok Village so this is what we ask once we’ve all piled into a taxi.  The driver, however, seems confused about our destination so NZ2 keeps trying out different pronunciations while I try to confirm the name of the village with Catfish.  Miraculously, we get to the village quickly where we take several photos at the top of a very slippery hill.

Who Are You?

We start walking around and decide that since the tourist information centre is closed for lunch, we’ll first have lunch ourselves.  Jeonbuk province is known for it’s bibimbap so naturally this is what we have for lunch.  On the way to a restaurant, we stop to look at the carved wooden name stamps outside a store.  While there, a Korean man approaches and starts talking to NZ2.  I assume that this is just a random conversation until he mentions Jeju and points at both of us.  As he walks away, I ask NZ2 where he knows this man from; NZ2 finds it rather amusing when he tells me that the Korean man is one of the senior people in the administration office at school – second only to the vice-principal.  Of all the people not to recognise, I have to choose one of the senior guys!

We finally find a restaurant and order our bibimbap.  When the side dishes arrive, we’re confused as we barely recognise any of them.  We then teach my friend how to mix the bibimbap together for a delicious meal – even if this particular one does have a raw egg on top.  Lunch is filling and we’re soon on our way once more towards the tourist information centre where NZ2 and his friend get information about the main tourist places in the village.  We then spend an interesting 40 minutes looking around ancestral memorials – all of which have been newly built simply to demonstrate what they would have looked like – but the ingenuity of the buildings is impressive. 

Traditional Korean Architecture

Traditional Korean buildings are constructed with no nails or screws. Instead, each beam is carefully inserted to create a type of Lego effect.  It’s interesting to see how the buildings are erected and, although it’s quite obvious that most of this traditional village has been newly erected for the sake of tourists and learning only (rather than being a genuine village), it’s an interesting day spent meandering around the various buildings and learning about memorial rituals and how the buildings would have been used. 

A quick discussion leads us to the top of the hill next to the Hanok village.  We can see that there is a temple like structure at the top of the hill and we’re eager to see the view from there.  The stairs leading up the side of the hill, however, are more treacherous than we initially realise as a result of snow that has accumulated and iced over.  The journey is well worth the effort though when we’re able to take some stunning photos of the snow-covered traditional houses and the panoramic views of Jeonju around us.  Getting back down the hill is just as hazardous and it’s tempting to keep pulling out our cameras to take photos of each other in various poses of falling down the ice.

Once back on less treacherous ground, we decide to walk in the general direction of the 600 year old Ginko tree indicated on the map.  There are a curious number of unusual sights along the way such a wall that has been partially eroded as a result of icy water constantly dripping down the side of it, the paper shops which have full hanbok (made of paper) on display, a makgeolli wine museum and some funny examples of Engrish. We also get to see how traditional ondol systems work.

Ondol is the underfloor heating that is still used in Korea.  Now, it runs mostly off gas but, traditionally, buildings were heated by large fires that were maintained in urn type structures beside the buildings.  The heat of the fire was directed under the buildings via pipes that run beneath the floors and heat the floors.  This is why traditional Korean accommodation means sleeping on a thin futon-style mattress on the floor – it’s warm!

Korean or Western Age?

When we finally find the Ginko tree, we’re confused: the large rock beside the tree tells us that the tree is 500 years old but the map tells us that the tree is 600 years old.  Since the map is clearly not 100 years old, I can’t help wondering if this particular tree is 600 years in Korean age which tends to make everyone age faster than Western age.  We end our cold day’s outing with some silly photos behind the photo cut-outs of Hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) before deciding on some hot drinks at The Nameless Cafe.  This is an interesting coffee shop as the decor is rather bear and it literally has no name! Their drinks and cake, however, are good and the perfect end to a good day in Jeonju before making our way back to Gunsan where it has been snowing once more.

How Did You Do That? (28 December)

As much as I would like to sleep in this morning after a really busy Christmas trip and getting home late last night, I have made a doctor’s appointment.  You’re probably thinking Another doctor’s appointment but this one is just a routine visit to have a blood test done and get a new prescription for my thyroid medication.  It literally takes 20 minutes although correcting the appointment takes a lot longer since the new International Coordinator at the Gunsan Medical Centre mistakenly makes the appointment with a different doctor. 

The Kindest Doctor Ever...

I then speak to her about the tingling and numbness that I’ve had in my left arm for the last two weeks.   It’s really starting to worry me and I think that I should see a doctor to have it checked out but I’m not sure which specialist I’ll be sent to since Family Doctors (or GPs as we call them back home) seem scarcer than hen’s teeth.  The coordinator suggests trying acupuncture about which I’m a little hesitant.  It’s not that I’m scared of needles – I’m just not a fan of them.

I find myself agree to try this and ask her where I should go.  She happily tells me that there is an oriental medicine department in the hospital and shuffles me off in the direction of this department.  Any doubts that are sprinting through my head as I sit outside the doctor’s office are squelched an hour later after this particular doctor has done a full examination.  Not only does he speak directly to me (even though he’s speaking Korean), but he takes the time to listen to the problem, ask questions, do a physical examination and a couple of on-the-spot tests which is very unusual compared to all of the Korean doctors I’ve seen so far.  By the time we get to the needle part, I actually feel quite calm as a result of his impressive bedside manner. 

Just a Short Walk

Several hours later than I’d planned, I finally leave the Medical Centre and head home to get ready for a friend’s visit.  I do a very quick clean of my apartment and then head to phone store to try and get a new cellular phone since my one appears to have died completely.  At the store, I’m told that my phone can be repaired but not in-store.  I’m given verbal directions that simply amount to around the corner and approximately 1km down the main road so I head off rather confidently in this general direction.  I walk and walk and walk until I see the tunnel that is officially the end of my neighbourhood. I’m pretty sure that I’ve already walked more than 1km so I enter the very next SK store that I pass and ask for help.  The women draws me a map since I clearly don’t know the name of the major intersection that I need to cross and then writes down the name of the repair centre.  When I finally reach the centre, I realise that I’ve walked halfway to Lotte mart – definitely further than 1km down the road.  However, the news that my phone simply needs a new cable and will take 10 minutes to fix and only cost 18 000 won is fantastic!

As I leave the service centre 15 minutes later, I’m so absorbed in reading the text messages that have accumulated over the last 24 hours that I’m not really paying attention to the fact that a snow storm has suddenly started while I was indoors.  Walking down marble stairs with fresh snow and a distracted step is guaranteed to result in an unexpected tumble down the stairs which is exactly what happens.  As I stand up once more, I realise that I’m directly opposite the Samsung Digital Centre so I make my way across the street to try and find a power cable for my laptop.  Unfortunately, it’s the wrong size!  Determined to figure out just how far I’ve actually walked this afternoon – and since I don’t know what to tell a taxi driver in order to get back to the phone store where I need to recharge my airtime – I decide to walk back to Soryong-dong.  Now that I know where I’m going, I realise the walk is probably only about two and a half kilometres although it’s an extremely cold two and a half kilometres tonight!

Miscommunications

Back home, I half-heartedly sort out a few more things in my apartment before I have to leave for the bus station to meet my friend.  It’s only then that I realise that I have no flight details for him and no idea what time the bus arrives.  All I can do is estimate an arrival time which means I’ll probably be sitting at the bus station for a while tonight.  I pack a book and head back out into the cold to, hopefully, meet my friend.  Forty minutes later, with no way of contacting him (I’ve even tried his Japanese phone number to no avail), I start phoning and texting everyone I can think of to get ideas on what to do. 

As I’m walking back and forth between the intercity and the express bus terminals, my phone rings: My friend is standing outside of what he thinks is my apartment!  As he describes the door, however, my relief returns to anxiety as I suddenly wonder which apartment building he’s standing in since the description doesn’t match mine.  Reassured by the fact that he can see Wolmyeong Park behind him, I can only conclude that he’s at the right complex but in the wrong building as I hurriedly grab a taxi and head home to meet him.  How he managed to successfully get from the bus station to my apartment via taxi which my address written in English is beyond me – there are days when I can’t even get back to my apartment and I provide the address in Korean!

On the Third Day of Christmas (27 December)

Our final night in Jeju is rather quiet and my roommates and I spend several hours chatting about paranormal activity and other strange subjects before finally calling it a night and falling asleep.  Catfish and I had agreed to help KiwiKat organise breakfast on the last morning but wake up when breakfast is halfway through so we start the day feeling somewhat guilty although KiwiKat says not to worry.  After breakfast, we load our bags onto the bus, take photos of the random goat that has suddenly appeared outside of our hotel and head to the Oedolgae trail which is our first stop for the day. 

The trail is beautiful and fairly flat so we have lots of fun fooling around as we take lots of photos.  The views on this trail are more in line with the promotional slogan of Jeju as a ‘tropical’ island and we couldn’t have asked for better weather.  Naturally, halfway through the trail, there is gym equipment which we have to take advantage of before moving to our next location.  I’m becoming increasingly frustrated with my cellular phone which has been dying a very slow and miserable death: I can see that I have several text messages but I can only read the first line of each message – several of which are from my co-teacher with rather unpleasant news if the first lines are accurately judged.

Strength of Nature

Our next stop is the natural rock formations where we’re greeted by the rather unpleasant smell of a Korean delicacy: silkworm larvae.  The rock formations themselves, however, are incredible and we spend a considerable amount of time taking photos of rocks and the waves crashing against them below us.  As each wave assaults the rock face before making a hasty retreat, we watch, mesmerized, by the smoothness of the rocks clustered together in defence.  All too soon, it’s time for us to start heading back to the bus.  When we see the hallabangs (scholars and warriors), Catfish decides that she wants to be a scholar and rushes towards the ones on the left.  Encouraged by KiwiKat, both Catfish and I sport beanies and strike the scholarly pose between the hallabangs making ourselves honorary scholars for just a moment. 

As we pass a display of rock engravings, a Korean family notice KiwiKat’s beanie which proudly states ‘New Zealand’ in Korean.  This prompts them to comment that their daughter has just come back from New Zealand and they quickly summon her over to talk with KiwiKat.  Naturally, a family photo with an actual Kiwi is the next logical step before asking if we like Jeju and bidding us farewell.  By now, we’re hungry so we’re only too happy to be back on the bus and heading to the restaurant where we’ll have lunch. 

Lunch is an interesting affair of the usual side dishes and a dish of octopus which surreptitiously gets moved to the very edge of the table.  The piece de resistance to the meal, however, is grilled mackerel served Korean style; this means that the fish has only been gutted and spatch-cocked so it still has it’s head and tail.  Foreigners don’t like having their food looking at them and it’s extremely disconcerting eating a fish that is staring at me with a rather accusing expression.  Catfish seems to think I’m being silly so I turn the plate so that the fish is looking at her.  She glances at it once while eating more fish before placing her napkin over the fish’s head so that it can’t see us.  We’re then able to finish lunch peacefully.  On our way out of the restaurant, we look at the different fish in the restaurant’s tanks, take silly photos kissing the fake tortoise on the desk and look at the meal options on display outside where Seokjin is pointing out the snapper fish that we had for dinner last night; this prompts KiwiKat to point to the photo above the display cabinet and comment, “I wouldn’t mind having him on a dish!”

More Gardens

After lunch, we’re off to Yeomiji Botanical Gardens where we head straight for the observation deck.  Since elevators here seem to only be able to hold about three foreigners at a time – we’re all ‘Big Size’ as many Koreans love to point out! – we wait a long time to get to the observation deck.  Impatient as I am, I decide to take the stairs since it’s only three flights; unfortunately, it’s another three flights after that to the actual observation deck since the elevator only goes half way.  I’ve no sooner made it up the stairs and to the observation deck where KiwiKat and Catfish are already waiting when they tell me it’s time to head back down again.  I snap a few random photos and follow them back down the stairs I’ve only just conquered.  From there, we choose a garden path to walk through and generally joke around. 

As we walk outside, we notice that the train that leads around the garden is about to depart.  Like small children, we all start sprinting towards the train and dive into a carriage much to the amusement of the Koreans already on the train.  When the driver comes around to collect tickets, we feel somewhat dejected as we get off the train.  He kindly points us in the direction of the ticket machine which is currently being repaired so we place Catfish in the queue while we make sure that the train doesn’t leave without us.  Tickets in hand, we once again enthusiastically board the train and get our cameras ready for the tour.  Each garden is themed according to country styles so the train trip is like taking a mini tour around the world as we pass the Italian, French, Korean and Japanese gardens and more.  Our train also seems to have picked up a hitchhiker along the way so when we stop to let this person off, we assume that we’re all getting off.  Catfish is the first one off and, as KiwiKat and I start attempting to get off, the doors close once again and we stay firmly in our seats.  Fortunately, the driver is paying attention in his rear view mirror and the doors re-open to let Catfish back on the train.

Messing With the Zen

All too soon, our train ride is over and we head back towards the Grecian style bridge to take photos.  When we spot mini-Holland, we head towards the windmills enthusiastically where Catfish and I attempt to do several cartwheels – once again, much to the amusement of several Koreans standing around and watching us.  When we tire of the cartwheels, we head over to a tree which Catfish attempts to climb and we do a few rather poor ballerina poses on the stumps.  We then move over to what looks like half of a giant Easter egg before making our way to the Japanese Zen-Garden where a little boy is happily running through the garden.  This leads to KiwiKat telling Catfish to go and play in the garden too.  The result: Catfish gathers a handful of stones and throws them in the air over her head – only to remember that what goes up has to come down at some point. I wonder if there'll soon be a new sign outside of the Zen Garden: Please keep children and foreigners out of the garden!

Where Do I Look?

Our final destination for the trip is

Ghost Road

and Loveland.  We’re still watching K-pop music videos on the bus and enjoying the quirky (and sometimes silly) differences in the style of the videos and outfits as we head to

Ghost Road

.  This road is an optical illusion: We are actually travelling downhill but the shape of the road creates the impression that we are travelling uphill instead and so, when the engine of a vehicle is switched off, we continue to move ‘uphill’ as though some paranormal phenomenon is occurring.

Loveland should probably be a blog entry of its own so I’m going to just gloss over the main points of it.  If you’re not comfortable with the idea of 80 foot penises and very sexual images, this is probably a good place to stop reading!

Billed as the honeymoon vacation spot of Korea, Jeju’s Loveland is popular with newlyweds and seems to almost serve as Korea’s limited sex education programme.  For westerners who are generally far more comfortable with overtly sexual things to begin, Loveland is extremely entertaining!  In 2002, graduate art students of Hongik University created the sculptures which are, of course, all themed around sex.  For a country that it generally viewed as fairly conservative, it’s interesting that such a project was even assigned!  Loveland has a sex shop, sex museum displaying various toys, videos, and graphic statues showing various sexual positions.  It also has the largest penis statue in the world.  Being foreign, our first thought when we see this statue could only be: GROUP PHOTO!

The Korean couples walking around the park are far less engaging with the statues than the foreigners.  For us, it’s entertaining to turn the handles of interactive couples bonking and posing for photos behind rather comical and somewhat graphic cut-outs.  We take our time laughing over the absurdity of the park while the Koreans seem to hurry through it as something simply to check off an itinerary list.  They do, however, appreciate laughing at our apparent openness with sexuality even if we’re so embarrassed we’re not quite sure where to look at times.  Everything about Loveland is sex-oriented including the handles on the restroom doors: a penis for the women’s bathroom and breasts for the men’s room.  It’s a highly entertaining, if not very awkward, place to visit.

With our activities over for the day, we start our final trip to the airport where I’m surprised to discover that my suitcase has gained nearly four kilograms on this trip.  An unsatisfying burger and coke precede our departure to Seoul which has also experienced heavy snow in the three days we’ve been gone.  As a result, our flight is an hour later than scheduled although we’re grateful for this delay which means that subway traffic should be less daunting (and it is) as we make our way from Gimpo Airport to the Express Bus Terminal and back home to Gunsan to rest.